Infrastructure expansion at the five new IITs will facilitate 6,500 more students, along with 10,000 new medical seats and a significant push for Artificial Intelligence. These are among the major announcements made by the government for the education sector in the 2025-26 budget.
The Ministry of Education has been allocated over ₹1.28 lakh crore in the Union Budget 2025-26, higher than the revised estimate of ₹1.14 lakh crore in 2024-25.
While the Higher Education department has been allocated ₹50,067 crore, the school education department has received ₹78,572 crore.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who presented her eighth consecutive Union Budget, also announced the launch of the 'Bharatiya Bhasha Pushtak' scheme to provide digital versions of Indian language books for schools and higher education.
She revealed that the government would create additional infrastructure at five Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and expand IIT Patna. The announcement to expand IIT Patna comes ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections later this year.
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"The total number of students in 23 IITs has increased by 100 per cent from 65,000 to 1.35 lakh in the past 10 years. Additional infrastructure will be created in the five IITs started after 2014 to accommodate 6,500 more students. Hostel and other infrastructure capacity at IIT Patna will also be expanded," she said.
The IITs have been allocated ₹11,349 crore in the Union Budget, up from a revised estimate of ₹10,467 crore in the current financial year.
Sitharaman also announced that 10,000 additional seats would be added to medical colleges and hospitals next year, with the goal of adding 75,000 seats over the next five years.
"Our government has added nearly 1.1 lakh undergraduate and postgraduate medical education seats in 10 years, an increase of 130 per cent. Next year, 10,000 additional seats will be added in medical colleges and hospitals, with the aim of adding 75,000 seats in the next five years," she said.
The Finance Minister also announced that 10,000 fellowships would be provided for technology research in IITs and IISc over the next five years.
"Five national centres of excellence for skilling, with global expertise and partnerships, will be set up, and 50,000 Atal Tinkering Labs will be established in government schools in the next five years to cultivate a scientific temper in young minds," she added.
Sitharaman confirmed that broadband connectivity would be provided to all government secondary schools and primary healthcare centres in rural areas.
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"I had announced three centres of excellence in AI for agriculture, sustainable cities, and health in 2023. Now, a Centre of Excellence in AI for education will be established with an outlay of ₹500 crore," she said, marking a significant push for Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education.
From the University Grants Commission (UGC) to the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), most bodies under the Ministry of Education have received increased allocations.
Top business schools, the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), which had faced consistent cuts in their allocated budget in a push for self-reliance, have also received an increased allocation of ₹251 crore, up from a revised estimate of ₹227 crore last year.
However, the budget allocated to the Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISERs) has seen a drop of ₹137 crore. Similarly, the amount allocated for World Class Institutions has been reduced by more than 50 per cent. Last year, ₹1,000 crore was allocated, which has now been reduced to ₹475 crore.
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